Development of a Low-Cost Autonomous Healthcare Digital Assistant Lead RoBot (DALBOT)

Autonomous robots' applications have been increasing in various fields, including healthcare. However, the use of autonomous robots has posed various challenges in terms of cost, navigation and operational complexity. Many researchers have explored the applications of autonomous robots in healthcare services. Some developed virtual assistants, like Chatbots, Hospital Care Watch (HCW), Intelligent Diabetes Assistant (IDA), etc. Others focused on developing robot navigation systems. However, those research works have not focused on developing healthcare assistants that would accompany patients while visiting medical facilities. This paper presented one of the vital applications of autonomous robots in healthcare services. The primary aim of the work is to develop a low-cost autonomous healthcare Digital Assistant Lead RoBot (DALBOT) to serve patients and guide them to the desired location while visiting medical facilities. The locations were identified using codes with corresponding Cartesian coordinates. The results demonstrated the feasibility of integrating DALBOT with other healthcare systems, such as stretchers, wheelchairs, medical supply deliveries, etc.